Your Skin Carotenoid Score is a measurement of the presence of carotenoid antioxidants in your skin.
Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants found in abundance in certain fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids neutralize damaging free radical molecules and are absorbed in human plasma and tissue, providing an excellent indicator of a person’s antioxidant level.
Although one may believe they are eating a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables, it is possible that there is a problem with the digestion, absorption or delivery of the nutrients to the cells. Measuring the levels in the skin will show us if an individual’s diet is adequate. (The scoring system is based on data gathered from more than 1,300 individuals with a variety of diets.) Your Skin Carotenoid Score will help you determine whether you are consuming an adequate amount of antioxidant-containing nutrients. Unlike other biomarkers that you may be familiar with, your Skin Carotenoid Score does not predict disease or pre-condition of disease.
How can I improve my score?
You can improve your score by consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day that are rich in carotenoid antioxidants, as recommended by the USDA, the American Dietetics Association, and other health organizations. Be aware, however, that individual responses to dietary intake of carotenoid antioxidants may vary due to biological differences in the ability to absorb dietary carotenoids. Lifestyles that include eating foods fried in saturated oils, exposure to pollution, exposure to cigarette smoke, and prolonged sun exposure may negatively influence your antioxidant defense levels. Changes you make to your diet or lifestyle activities, in an effort to improve your score, will take about 30 to 60 days before they are reflected in your Skin Carotenoid Score. |
